Dr. Robert G. Ellison`s 1972 Presidential Address

Transcription

Significant Events in the History of The Society of
Thoracic Surgeons
Robert G. Ellison
Ann Thorac Surg 1972;14:577-604
DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4975(10)65270-8
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T H E ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY
Journal of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the
Southern Thoracic Surgical Association
VOLUME 14
NUMBER 6
DECEMBER 19'72
.
-
Significant Events in the History of
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Robert G. Ellison, M.D.
T"
e birth of a new organization is invariably fraught with many obstacles. T h e establishment of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons,
however, was relatively painless, and its subsequent growth has been
phenomenal. The reasons for the outstanding success of the Society can be
summarized in two words: need and leadership. In this presentation, I wish
to review the background which led to the founding of the organization
along with some of the difficulties encountered and accomplishments to date.
The rapid expansion of thoracic and cardiac surgery and the recognition of this surgical endeavor as a separate surgical specialty after World
War I1 brought increasing opportunities, problems, and responsibilities to
leaders in the field. The Board of Thoracic Surgery was established in 1948,
and with the development of new cardiovascular techniques, especially extracorporeal circulation in the early 1950s, further impetus was provided
for strengthening thoracic and cardiac surgery as a separate specialty. An
enormous number of young American surgeons were stimulated to enter
the field. By 1960 approximately 1,000 candidates had been certified by the
Board of Thoracic Surgery, a large proportion of whom restricted their
practice to this field. In 1957, attendance at the annual meeting of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery exceeded 1,000 surgeons, approximately two-thirds of whom were nonmembers.
For these reasons, the officers and council of the prestigious American
Association for Thoracic Surgery seriously considered expanding its membership. In 1956, Dr. Cameron Haight, president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, appointed a special committee to investigate,
From the Division of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta,
Ga. 30902.
Presidential Address delivered at the Eighth Annual Meeting of The Society of Thoracic
Surgeons, San Francisco, Calif., Jan. 25, 1972.
577
ELLISON
F I G . 1 . Robert G . Ellison, M.D., seventh
president of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
review, and make recommendations relating to the membership. This committee was composed of Drs. Lyman A. Brewer, Michael E. DeBakey, Stewart
W. Harrington, Edward M. Kent (Chairman), Frederick G. Kergin, and
Richard H. Sweet. After thorough investigation and study, the committee
recommended a numerical limit of 300 active members, but after considerable debate by the membership in 1958, this recommendation was not approved. After further study, however, the Association in 1960 approved
changes in its constitution and bylaws to the effect that active membership
would be expanded to 350 and restricted to this number with no numerical
limit on associate membership, which would, however, be limited to five
years. Attendance at meetings would be controlled by allowing only members, invited speakers, and invited guests to attend. It was thought that additional regional societies-such as the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association,
which was founded in 1954-should be developed in other areas of the
United States to provide an outlet for the increasing number of surgeons
certified in thoracic surgery and restricting their practice solely to this area.
About this time (early 1960s), however, attempts to establish a regional thoracic surgical society on the West Coast were unsuccessful.
Many prominent thoracic surgeons apparently were not satisfied to accept the concept of regional societies, particularly some of the chiefs of thoracic surgical training programs whose trainees had difficulty obtaining
578
THE ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY
History of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Sixty people attended t h e annual dinner a t "Stan and Biggies" Restaurant. A f t e r
dinner t h e assembled group embarked on a long, vigorous, involved discussion of t h e
f u t u r e of t h o r a c i c surgery. A vocal group championed by Dr. Frank Byron and D r . R
Adarns Cowley wanted a ~ i e wt h o r a c i c group peopled e n t i r e l y by t h o r a c i c surgeons. There
wds Considerable c r i t i c i s m of t h e encroachment by t h e general surgeons on t h e American
Associarfon f o r Thoracic Surgery and a r a t h e r b i t t e r r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t mosf. of t h e
c m i t r o l of the American Association f o r Thoracic Surgery now r e s t e d i n t h e hands of
general surgeons doing t h o r a c i c and c a r d i a c surgery.
The dlscussion which was c a r r i e d on by Drs. Chamberlain, Mannix, McAlpine,
Hood, Storey, S t r i e d e r and Carr, explored t h e p o s s i h i l i t i e s both p r o and con. There
was dlseussion about t h e d e s i r a b i l i t y of l o c u l t h o r a c i c s o c i e t i e s , regional i n
c h a r a c t e r and, l i m i t e d t o men doing t h o r a c i c surgery alone which would feed men i n t o
FIG. 2. Excerpt from minutes of the meeting of the John Alexander Society, St. Louis,
Mo., April 16, 1962.
membership in the American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Beginning
in about 1958, a group of younger thoracic surgeons led by Dr. R Adams
Cowley of Baltimore assembled informally at various meetings to discuss
the problems of thoracic surgery and the feasibility of starting another society. From this time on, Dr. Cowley in particular spent considerable time
and effort attempting to convince his older confreres of the need for a new
society. Lengthy discussions were recorded in the minutes of the April 16,
1962, meeting of the John Alexander Society relating to the feasibility of
establishing another national thoracic surgical organization (Fig. 2). Dr. R
Adams Cowley and Dr. Francis X. Byron of Duarte, California, were persistent in their viewpoint that a new society should be organized. The organization went on record as favoring the development of a new society, since
it was apparent that the younger thoracic surgeons in the United States who
were unable to obtain membership in the American Association for Thoracic Surgery felt a strong need for identification with a national organization.
Correspondence between Dr. John D. Steele and officers of T h e Harvey
Cushing Society in April and May, 1963, suggested a situation somewhat
analogous to that which had existed in the mid 1940s when the Society of
Neurological Surgeons was so restricted in membership that the expanding
numbers of trained neurosurgeons could not obtain membership in a national organization. The membership of The Harvey Cushing Society was
eventually enlarged to include essentially all properly qualified neurosurgeons in an attempt to fulfill the needs of the enlarging specialty. The
feasibility of similarly expanding the John Alexander Society into a national
scientific organization to meet the needs of thoracic surgeons was discussed.
At the next meeting of the John Alexander Society on April 8, 1963, in
Houston (Fig. 3), a special committee composed of Drs. Francis X. Byron,
J. Maxwell Chamberlain, R Adams Cowley (Chairman), Byron H. Evans,
Earle B. Kay, Edgar P. Mannix, John E. Miller, John D. Steele, and Clifford
F. Storey reported on the future of the John Alexander Society. They recommended that the John Alexander Society remain unchanged and that a
new society of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery be formed with the folVOL. 14, NO. 6, DECEMBER, 1972
579
ELLISON
Fifty-three members and wives attended the annual dinner of the John
Alexander Society at the Shamrock-Hilton Hotel on April 8, 1963.
The minutes
o f the previous meeting were read and accepted.
Dr. R. Adams Cowley reported on the meeting of the committee.(consisting
of Doctors Byron, Storey, Chamberlain, Steele, Evans, Mannix, Kay and Miller)
to consider the future of the John Alexander Society.
the John Alexander Society remain as it is at present.
It was recommended that
It was recommended that
a new society of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery be formed with the following
objectives :
1.
To disseminate thoracic and cardiovascular information.
2.
To promote thoracic and cardiovascular surgery as a specialty.
3.
To offer a forum for young m e n to present and publish papers in
this field.
FIG. 3. Minutes of the meeting of the John Alexander Society, Houston, Tex., April
8, 1963.
lowing objectives: (1) to disseminate information on thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, (2) to promote thoracic and cardiovascular surgery as a
specialty, and (3) to offer a forum for young men to present and publish papers in the field. I t was affirmed that it would not be the purpose of the
John Alexander Society to establish a new society, but that this society
would serve as a catalyst for a new organization.
T h e final impetus for formation of a new society apparently came from
this report, and, as a consequence, a planning committee was appointed,
composed of Drs. Francis X. Byron, J. Maxwell Chamberlain, R Adams
Cowley (Chairman), Byron H. Evans, and John D. Steele. These men, with
the exception of Dr. Evans, met in Denver in August, 1963, to discuss plans
for establishing the new organization and to formulate a tentative constitution. Dr. Robert K. Brown, a prominent thoracic surgeon in Denver, acted
as local host to the committee and greatly facilitated their activities.
Up until this time, Dr. Cowley had led the movement to establish the
new society. Apparently, he and other young members of the group believed that the support of more senior thoracic surgeons would be needed
to achieve their goals. For this reason, he had sought the support of his good
friend Max Chamberlain, who initially had had reservations about the need
for and feasibility of a new thoracic surgery society. For several years prior
to the summer of 1963, Dr. Chamberlain spent considerable time and effort
seeking the viewpoints of thoracic surgeons throughout the United States
through discussions at meetings, telephone calls, and correspondence. Drs.
Francis X. Byron and R Adams Cowley, both strong advocates of a new
society, apparently had considerable influence upon his decision to lead the
movement to establish T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Dr. Chamber580
History of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons
lain's office in New York thereafter became headquarters for the movement
to establish the organization, and from that time on he became the driving
force which ensured the successful establishment of the Society. From his office, considerable information was mailed to thoracic surgeons in an effort
to inform them and to arouse their interest in the new organization (Figs.
4, 5). After a steering committee was appointed, a letter announcing plans
for the new organization along with a draft of the proposed constitution and
bylaws was forwarded to prospective founding members in early September,
1963 (Fig. 6). Thereafter, a founding members' meeting was held at the
Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco on October 31, 1963, during the Clinical
Congress of the American College of Surgeons (Fig. 7). Approximately 150
surgeons attended.
Dr. Donald B. Effler of Cleveland, deeply skilled in parliamentary procedure, presided in his dynamic manner and directed the meeting to its
foregone destiny to approve plans for the establishment of a new society.
The following officers and council members were elected: President, Paul
C. Samson, Oakland, Calif.; Vice-president (President-Elect), Thomas H.
Burford, St. Louis; Secretary, Francis X. Byron, Los Angeles; Treasurer,
Robert G. Ellison, Augusta, Ga.; Editor, John D. Steele, San Fernando,
Calif.; Council: Ralph D. Alley, Albany, N.Y.; Robert K. Brown, Denver;
J. Maxwell Chamberlain, New York; John W. Strieder, Boston; Chairman
of the Membership Committee, R Adams Cowley, Baltimore; Chairman of
the Program Committee, Donald B. Effler, Cleveland.
J.M A X W E L L C H A M B E R L A I N . M . D
29 EAST 7L3T'18
STREET
N E W YORK 21, N.Y.
REGENT 7-043-s
September 6 , 1963
Dear Doctor
Thoracic surgery in the past twenty years has emerged from
the realm of general surgery a s a highly specialized discipline which
should demand ones entire energy and attention. Partial affiliation
with this complex field has led too often to surgical frustration and
insecurity.
The union, therefore, of those engaged solely in the highest type
of thoracic surgical performance dignifies and justifies the creation of a
society for thoracic surgeons - a society designed to complement other
related societies. It is a pleasure, therefore, to lnvite you a s a speciali s t limited to the field of thoracic surgery, to become a Founder Member
in a new surgical society to be known a s the Society for Thoracic Surgeons.
Sincerely yours,
8
4-ex,u&
&d
J. Maxwell Chamberlaln, M. D.
Chairman, Steering Committee
JMC/emh
FIG. 4. Letter from Dr. Chamberlain to prospective members.
VOL.
14, NO. 6,
DECEMBER,
1972
581
ELLISON
J.MAXWELL CHAMDERLAIN. M.D.
-
PI) EAST 7 8 T U
YTREET
N E W TOR* PI.N.Y.
REOENT 7 - ~ + 0 1
September 6, 1963
Re: Membership on Steering
Committee
r34.
Dear Ds&x
In the organization of any society there must be a "steering
committee" to lend dignity and prestige to a n embryonic group. It
was thought that ycu would concur with the thoughts expressed in
the invitation to the Founder Members.
However, we need the names of 2 5 or more outstanding thoracic surgeons who have similar feelings and will not only join the
Steering Committee but will permit their n a m e s to appear on the stationery a s these invitations a r e disseminated to potential Founder Members.
We hope you will accept this invitation t o join the Steering Committee.
A nucleus of thoracic surgeons has volunteered in the last several years to draw up a tentative Constitution and By-Laws which are
a l s o enclosed. We call your attention especially to its objectives and
membership qualifications. We sincerely solicit your suggestions and
modifications.
There are over 500 "pure" thoracic surgeons in the United States
and Canada who will be invited to Founder Membership. A meeting of
the Founder Members for the election of officers will be held a t a n
opportune moment in San Francisco at the annual meeting of the American
College of Surgeons. A l l Founder Members will be notified later concerning the time and place.
Arrangements are being made for a "Journal" which will dlstxibute
the scientific information presented at the annual forum.
\i
Please sign the enclosed blank and return immediately to m e at
the above address. Deadline for acceptance is September 20, 1963.
Sincerely yours,
JMC/emh
3ry
FIG. 5. Letter from Dr. Chamberlain to prospective members.
Thereafter, the organization of the Society progressed with amazing
rapidity. Having access to the files of many of this early group, I have been
impressed with the volume of detailed correspondence among the various
persons concerned. Recognition should be given to the tremendous efforts
of such individuals as Drs. Alley, Brewer, Burford, Byron, Chamberlain,
Cowley, Effler, Samson, Sloan, and Steele. In those early days and in several
years to follow, the perseverance of Max Chamberlain in achieving, in an
unobtrusive manner, a successful new society for thoracic surgeons contributed inestimably to the development and growth of the organization.
The first meeting of the Executive Committee and Council was held
582
8OCIETI t
W THWCIC SUHCEONLI
23 P a t 7Stb S u m
New Y a k 21
New Yark
Tel: 212-737-5434
September 20, 1963
Steerlns Commlttee
OslerAbbott, M. D.
Ralph 0. Alley, M. D.
Bruce F. Balsch, M . 0.
Howard F. Barkley, M . D.
Raymond I. Barrett. M . D.
Robert K. Brown, M. D.
Walter F. Bugden. M. 0.
Thomas H. Burford, M. D.
Francis X . Byron, M. D.
Max G . Carter, M. D.
J . Maxwell Chamberlaln. M. D.
John G . Chesney, M. D.
R. Adams Cowley, M. D.
J. Claude Day, M. D.
Davld J. Dugan, M. D.
Donald B. Effler, M. D.
Robert G . Ellison, M. 0.
Byron H. Evans, M. D.
Walter W. Fischer, M. D.
James H. Forsee, M. D.
Cameron Halght, M. D.
Earle 8. Kay, M. D.
Hlram T. Langston, M. D.
Wllllam M. Lees, M. D.
C . Walton Lillehel, M. 0.
Laurence Mlscall, M. D.
Thomas J. E. O'Nelll, M. D.
Paul V. O'Rourke, M. D.
Richard H. Overholt , M D.
Donald L. Paulson, M. D.
C . Thomas Read, M. D.
Wllllam R. Rumel, M. D.
Paul C . Samson, M. D.
John D. Steele, M. D.
Clifford F. Storey, M. D.
John W. Strleder, M. D.
.
, ,Q
,-JE
DurDoctor
Thorack surgery In t h e past twenty yeera has emerged
from t h e realm of general surgery a s a hlghly spaclallred
dlsclpllno whlch should demand ones entlro energy and
attentlon. P a n l a l afflllatlon wlth t h l s complex fleld has
led too often t o surglml Irustratlon a n d Insecurlty.
There are over SO0 surgeons In the Unltad Stater and
Canada who n a t r l c t themselves t o the practlce of thoraclc
and cardlovascular surgery. Thls number Is rapldly increasIng and most of t h e s e s p e c l a l l s t s have met the tralnlng requlrements lald down by the Board of Thoraclc Surgery. More
Important Is the convlctlon of t h e s e surgeons that the spech l t y and Its related programs a r e better served by strlct
speclallzatlon.
There 1s a need for a soclety that c a n accomodate every
quallfled speclaIIst In the fleld of thoraclc and cardlovascuh r surgery. Such a soclety would In no way confllct wlth
exlstlnp organlzatlons whose professlonal Interests overlap.
A soclety. solely restricted t o thoraclc and cardlovascular
surgeons, would serve the needs of those already establlshed
In t h e fleld. M a e Important. It would offer a place for the
many quallfled thoraclc surgeons who at present cannot obtaln membershlp In exlstlng socletles because of numerlcal
membershlp restrlctlons. Thls group of thoraclc surgeons,
the maJorltyof whom are In prlvate practlce. represents a n
Increaslng Increment of those who are Board quallfled In thls
speclalty.
The unlon, therefore, of those engaged solely In the
hlghest type of thoraclc surglcal performance dlgnlfles and
Justlfles the creatlon of a soclety for thoraclc surgeons a
soclety deslgned to complement other related socletles. It
Is a pleasure, therefore, to lnvlte you a s a specialist
Ilmlted to the fleld of thoraclc surgery, to become a Founder
Member In a new ourglcal society to be known a s the Soclety
for Thoraclc Surgeons.
-
Slncerely yours,
U
J. Maxwell Chamberleln, M. D.
Chairman
Steering Commlttee
w / e a
FIG. 6. Invitational letter to prospective founding members.
in St. Louis on December 20, 1963. Tremendous credit should go to Dr.
Thomas H. Burford of St. Louis for his organizational ability in setting up
this meeting and in attracting full attendance of officers and Council members on a very cold Christmas holiday weekend. At this time, the second
draft of the constitution and bylaws was edited and further refined (Fig. 8).
Also, the Editorial Board of T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery was selected,
and plans were formulated for the first annual meeting to be held in St.
VOL. 14, NO.
6, DECEMBER, 1972
583
ELLISON
SOCIETY FOR THORACIC SURGEONS
October 10, 1963
D e a r Founder Member:
T h e response to our invitation f o r m e m b e r s h i p in the new Society
f o r Thoracic Surgeons was overwhelmingly gratifying. Enthusiastic
l e t t e r s are s t i l l pouring in and w e hope they keep coming. I would
like to e x p r e s s our s i n c e r e thanks f o r your wholehearted support
which we interpret as a vote of confidence.
Your are invited as a Founder Member to be p r e s e n t a t the
election of officers during the San F r a n c i s c o Meeting of the American
College of Surgeons. The election w i l l be held in the F r e n c h Room of
the F a i r m o n t Hotel a t 5:45 p. m. on Thursday, October 31st. The
meeting should not require m o r e than thirty minutes of your time and
we hope you will be present.
Sincerely yours,
&+--uJ. Maxwell Chamberlain, M. D.
w
JMC:d
FIG. 7 . Letter from Dr. Chamberlain, chairman of the steering committee, announcing
date of founders’ meeting, October 31, 1963.
Louis in January, 1965, with Dr. Burford in charge of local arrangements.
A progress report was forwarded to members and prospective members
shortly thereafter (Fig. 9).
At the second Council meeting in April, 1964, during the meeting of
the American Association for Thoracic Surgery in Montreal, the objectives
of the Society were well established. These were clearly expressed in the
final draft of the constitution and bylaws, which were approved at this meeting. This was to be an organization to improve the quality and practice of
thoracic and cardiovascular surgery as a specialty. This objective was to be
accomplished by directing efforts toward strengthening and establishing basic research in the area, by promoting the professional development of those
584
SOCIETY OF THORACIC SURGEONS
Tentative
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE L Name and Objectives
Section 1. The name of this organisation ahall be "Th
Thoracic Surgeon.. I'
2 Sociey Of
Section 2.
'?I
Objectives:
(2'
..'
, I
I f ' .
sur ery and to encourage clinical aa well a s basic research in this field.
To promote the profesaional development of those surgeons
in the field of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery and to
encourage, represent, and aponsor those surgeons who have recently entered this
' .'
€ field. *,I
d!.
,L d. To provide a forum for scientific preeentations and Mdiscussions.
~~,
:,;"& ,.f,
'MA;
6
?--
,L~1~~/4--~+&?.,.L
ARTICLE U. Member
ri
e.
,*.. ...
k
&.,4.f..
..I)
,'.
.:
Section 1; Memberahip of thia Society shall consist of surgeons who confine their surgical practice to the field of thoracic and cardiovascular
surgery. k c : T L A~<&.AL
S e c t i a G j All members of the Society except aenior and honorary members shall pay dues and assessments.
FIG. 8. Original constitution which was edited into final form at the first Council
meeting, December 20, 1963.
surgeons specializing in the field of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, and
by providing a forum for and publication of scientific presentations and
discussions. The membership was to be limited to surgeons who confined
their practice to thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, who were certified by
the Board of Thoracic Surgery, and who had been established in the field
for a minimum of three years following Board eligibility. There would be
no numerical limitation upon membership; all individuals who met the
above criteria would be eligible for membership. By this means, all thoracic surgeons properly trained and certified and who were practicing thoracic
and cardiovascular surgery as a specialty would have access to membership
in a national organization with which they could be identified. This concept was considered significant in the further expansion of thoracic and
cardiovascular surgery as a surgical specialty.
VOL.
14, NO. 6, DECEMBER, 1972
585
ELLISON
NEWS LETTER
PROGRESS REPORTA.
Executive Committee met in St. .Louis, December 21, 1963.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Attendance 100%.
Constitution and By-Laws revised and enclosed*.
Objectives of Society reviewed and confirmed (Constitution).
Date for closure of Founder Members extended to
in S t . Louis.
Date for first meeting of Society set for
Arrangements made for proper registration of Society.
Membership blanks prepared for distribution to 400 Founder Members,
including Officers and President.
8. Bids by publishing houses for future Journal reviewed.
9 . Editorial Staff t o invite presentations from Southern Thoracic Surgical
Society a s excellent material for the new Journal.
10. Program Chairman, Don Effler, appointed by President (members of
Program Committee to b e announced).
11. John Steele, Chairman of Editorial Board, to announce Associate
Editors and members.
1 2 . A l l applications for Founder Membership direct to R. Adams Cowley,
1010 St. Paul St., Baltimore, Maryland, Chairman, Membership
Committee.
13 Next meeting Executive Committee, Montreal. Direct suggestions and
questions to President prior t o meeting.
14. Founder Members m a i l c h e c k s t o Treasurer, Dr. Robert G. Ellison,
Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia.
*
-------.
Note "grandfather" c l a u s e under Section
-------- regarding
membership.
FIG. 9. First newsletter to membership.
At the John Alexander Society meeting in Montreal, April 27, 1964
(Fig. lo), Dr. Samson discussed the progress that had been made in the organization of the new society. Dr. Max Chamberlain was honored as the
catalyst who had brought the group together.
Throughout this period of development and in the years to follow, efforts to develop and to expand The Society of Thoracic Surgeons were
supported by the leaders of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.
There was complete cooperation at all times. The founding of the new society was not considered competitive and actually was beneficial to the AmerDoctor Samson presented t h e p r o g r e s s which i s being made i n t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n
Doctor Samson, i t s f i r s t p r e s i d e n t , s t a t e d
t h a t t h e S o c i e t y would have a major impact on t h o r a c i c s u r g e r y and t h a t i t would
r e l i e v e some of t h e p r e s s u r e on t h e American A s s o c i a t i o n f o r Thoracic Surgery
t o open up its membership.
Doctor Max Chamberlain was honored as t h e c a t a l y s t
who brought t h e group t o g e t h e r . Doctor John J o n e s , t h e incoming p r e s i d e n t of
t h e American A s s o c i a t i o n f o r Thoracic Surgery, a l s o s t a t e d t h a t t h e r e would be
no c o n f l i c t between t h e two groups and t h a t t h e y would complement one a n o t h e r .
of t h e S o c i e t y of Thoracic Surgeons.
FIG. 10. Minutes of the meeting of the John Alexander Society, Montreal, Quebec,
April 27, 1964.
586
May 2 2 , 1 9 6 4
A new j o u r n a l , THE ANNALS O F THORACIC SURGERY, will be
published about J a n u a r y I . 1965. T h e ANNALS will b e t h e official
j o u r n a l of t h e newly f o r m e d Society of T h o r a c i c Surgeons.
T h e ANNALS will begin a s a bimonthly j o u r n a l , containing 9 6
p a g e s p e r i s s u e . It will b e devoted t o p a p e r s on v a r i o u s p h a s e s of
t h o r a c i c a n d c a r d i o v a s c u l a r s u r g e r y and will contain f e a t u r e s such
a s c o l l e c t i v e r e v i e w s , e d i t o r i a l s . s h o r t notes on t e c h n i q u e s and
new i n s t r u m e n t s . book r e v i e w s , and c o r r e s p o n d e n c e .
T h e ANNALS will c o n s i d e r f o r a c c e p t a n c e c o n t r i b u t i o n s (in
E n g l i s h ) by n o n - m e m b e r s a s well a s m e m b e r s of the Society. A
s h e e t of "Information for A u t h o r s ' ' c o n c e r n i n g the p r e f e r r e d m e t h o d s
of p r e p a r a t i o n of m a n u s c r i p t s . i l l u s t r a t i o n s . etc. will be s e n t o n r e q u e s t by t h e Editor.
I n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g s u b s c r i p t i o n s will b e f o r t h c o m i n g f r o m
t h e P u b l i s h e r , L i t t l e . Brown a n d Company of Boston.
T h e f i r s t m e e t i n g of t h e Society of T h o r a c i c S u r g e o n s will be
h e l d i n St. Louis on J a n u a r y 2 5 , 2 6 . a n d 27, 1965. It is a n t i c i p a t e d
that t h e p r o g r a m f o r t h e m e e t i n g will b e published i n t h e f i r s t i s s u e
of t h e ANNALS.
C o r r e s p o n d e n c e in r e g a r d t o t h e Society should b e a d d r e s s e d to
t h e S e c r e t a r y , F r a n c i s X. B y r o n , M. D . , City of Hope Medical
C e n t e r . D u a r t e , California.
John D. S t e e l e . M.D., E d i t o r
Veterans Administration Hospital
San F e r n a n d o , C a l i f o r n i a
FIG. 11. Letter from Dr. Steele, Editor, announcing plans for the new journal, T h e
Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
ican Association for Thoracic Surgery, since this new organization decreased
some of the pressure on the American Association for Thoracic Surgery to
expand its membership.
From the beginning of discussions concerning the founding of a new
organization, the establishment of a new journal of thoracic surgery was
considered essential. This viewpoint was repeatedly expressed by Dr. John
D. Steele of San Fernando, Calif., who felt that the cause of the Society
would be advanced i f the first issue of its journal were published and on
display at the time of the first annual meeting. At the original founders'
meeting in October, 1963, Dr. Steele, who had had considerable editorial
experience including the editing of the John Alexander Monograph Series,
was elected Editor of the new journal. After numerous communications with
various publishing houses, it was decided that T h e AnnaZs of Thoracic Surgery would be published by Little, Brown and Company of Boston. The
contract pertaining to the details was signed on March 30, 1964, and Dr.
Steele and his Editorial Board, in conjunction with Mr. Fred Belliveau,
Vice-president of Little, Brown and Company, proceeded to develop plans
VOL.
14, NO. 6,
DECEMBER,
1972
587
ELLISON
THE
ANNALS
OF
THORACIC
SURGERY
VOLUME 1
NUMBER 1
JANUARY 1965
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF T H E SOCIETY OF THORACIC
SURGEONS AND T H E SOUTHERN THORACIC
SURGICAL ASSOCIATION
EDITOR
JOHN D. STEELE, M.D., VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL,
SAN FERNANDO. CALIFORNIA
- ..
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
DAVID
..
J.
DUGAN. M.D., OAKLAND
G &wnc
L ~ C U
AT MIIT&
MAS
HERBERT SLOAN. M.D., ANN ARBOR
C O ~ R ~ C H T ,969
. ~
nv
THE IOCILTY
T H O ~ ~~ K L
w
~
w
racic Surgery.
for publication of T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery, initially on a bimonthly
basis. The membership was notified accordingly (Fig. 11). The original
Editorial Board was as follows: John D. Steele, San Fernando, Calif., Editor;
David J. Dugan, Oakland, Calif., Associate Editor; Herbert Sloan, Ann
Arbor, Mich., Associate Editor; Ralph D. Alley, Albany, N.Y.; Jay L.
Ankeney, Cleveland; William E. Bloomer, Los Angeles; Johann L. Ehrenhaft, Iowa City; Robert G. Ellison, Augusta, Ga.; Edward A. Gaensler,
Boston; William M. Lees, Chicago; Richard M. Peters, Chapel Hill, N.C.;
Clifford F. Storey, San Diego, Calif.; Timothy Takaro, Oteen, N.C.; Joseph
J. Timmes, Jersey City, N.J.; and Watts R. Webb, Dallas.
On January 1, 1965, the first bimonthly issue of T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery was published. During the first two years, few manuscripts
were submitted, and papers presented at the Southern Thoracic Surgical
Association's meetings were helpful in eliminating the deficit. With the
passage of time, however, the number of manuscripts submitted increased
so that it became necessary to change to monthly publication on January
1, 1967.
588
THE
ANNALS
OF
THORACIC
SURGERY
VOLUME I 1 * NUMBER
1 * JANUARY 1071
Official Journal of The h i e @ of Thoracic Surgeons
and tlu Southern Thnracic Surgical Association
Edilor
HERBERT SLOAN. M.D.. UNIVEWIIY
A N N A R M R . MICHIGAN
nosrinL
J O H N D. STEELE. M.D..Edilor, 1961-1949
A.mcinle Edilotr
R i c H A R n K. HUT.IIES. M.D..SALT LAKE w r y
I I A W l Z Y 11. SEII.EU. M.D.. T A M P A
For some years prior to the organization of T h e Society of Thoracic
Surgeons, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, which had been
founded in 1954, had attempted through major surgical journals to obtain
an outlet for publication of papers presented before its annual meetings.
In the years immediately prior to the establishment of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, additional efforts had been made without success. Accordingly, when plans were in progress to organize The Society of Thoracic
Surgeons and to establish a new journal, discussions arose concerning
whether this journal might not also be the official organ for the Southern
Thoracic Surgical Association. Support for this relationship came naturally
since a number of members of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association
were also active in the founding and development of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. In October and November, 1964, the councils of both organizations approved this relationship, and the first issue of The Annals
indicated that this was the official journal of both organizations (Fig. 12).
Beginning with the January, 1971, issue, the seals of both societies were
VOL.
14, NO. 6,
DECEMBER, 1972
589
ELLISON
14
15
FIG. 14.
Original seal.
FIG. 15. Final seal approved by the Council in January, 1965.
included on the frontispiece of The Annals (Fig. 13). All papers presented
at annual meetings of the societies would be submitted to the Editorial
Board of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery to be considered for publication
in that journal. This was recognized to be a mutually beneficial relationship.
The original contract with Little, Brown and Company signed on
March 30, 1964, was to extend for a period of five years. At the January,
1969, meeting in San Diego, Dr. Herbert Sloan of Ann Arbor, Mich., who
had been Associate Editor of The Annals from its inception, was elected
Editor to replace Dr. Steele, who had resigned because of illness. Accordingly, the office of The Annals was moved from San Fernando, Calif., to
Ann Arbor, where Dr. Sloan acquired the services of an editorial assistant.
During this period of transition, the contract with Little, Brown and Company was extended for one year and thereafter renegotiated for an additional three years. This is the contract under which The Annals is currently
functioning.
The seal of the Society was designed by Dr. Lyman A. Brewer, 111,
with helpful suggestions from Drs. Francis X. Byron, Ralph D. Alley, and
Paul C. Samson, and was illustrated by Mr. Kurt Smolens, medical artist
at The City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, Calif. Originally,
the seal depicted a heart, great vessels of the thorax, lungs, and the abdominal aorta within a shield (Fig. 14). A surgeon’s hand above the shield held
a scalpel in such a position as to suggest that the knife was going to stab
the heart. The final design, which was approved by the Council at the January, 1965, meeting, showed the hand and knife in a more appropriate
590
FIG. 16. Paul C . Samson, M.D., first
President of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
surgical position. Also, the esophagus and diaphragm replaced the great
vessels of the thorax (Fig. 15).
The constitution and bylaws originally approved by the membership
at the first annual meeting in 1965 have proved adequate to meet the needs
of the Society. Several revisions in the bylaws, mostly of a minor nature,
have been made. In January, 1967, the Committee on Postgraduate Education was added, and in January, 1969, the Committee on Thoracic and
Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Standards was formed. The greatest
revisions, which were made in 1970, related to the engagement of a multiple-association management firm to establish and operate a headquarters
office for the Society and the relationship of the management firm to the
various officials and committees of the organization.
Dr. Paul C. Samson (Fig. 16) of Oakland, Calif., presided at the first
meeting of the new society in St. Louis in January, 1965. T h e interest in
the organization demonstrated during this meeting and thereafter indicated
the intense demand for further development of the Society. Under the
guidance of the pioneers in thoracic surgery (Drs. Samson, Burford, Byron,
Steele, Effler, and Chamberlain), all of whom had already achieved tremendous personal success in their careers, the Society was under way.
T h e Membership Committee, under the direction of Dr. R Adams
Cowley of Baltimore, one of the original strong proponents of a new society, reviewed more than 700 applications, and 576 members were approved
for the founders group, which was closed on July 1, 1965. Following apVOL.
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591
ELLISON
THE SOCIETY
OF THORACIC SURGEONS
September 2 2 , 1964
Robert G. E l l i s o n , M.D.
Eugene Talmadge Memorial H o s p i r a l
Medical C o l l e g e o f Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Dear Doctor E l I ison:
Congratulations on your election as a Founder Member
of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Your application
has been approved by the Membership Committee and the
Council of the Society. Membership certificates are
in the process of preparation and yours will be forwarded as soon as it is available.
It goes without saying, the vigor of the new Society
and of its publication, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery,.
is dependent upon the enthusiastic participation of its
members. This is a reminder, therefore, that abstracts
for the first Annual Meeting must be in the hands of
Doctors Effler and Groves by October 1 and that Doctor
Steele is receiving manuscripts for the first issues of
the ANNALS.
Hoping to see you at the meeting in St. Louis, I am
Cordj-allyyours,
&Mk
FXB :ah
F. X. Byron, M.D..
Secretary
FIG. 17. Letter from Secretary Byron notifying founding members of election to membership.
proval by the Membership Committee and Council, each founding member
was notified of his election to membership by Secretary Byron (Fig. 17).
After the first annual meeting in St. Louis, the leaders of the Society
were anxious to obtain appropriate recognition and suitable representation
for the Society on the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons and on the Board of Thoracic Surgery. The membership exceeded
500, a significant number of the estimated 1,400 persons certified in thoracic
surgery at that time. Accordingly, steps were taken, primarily by Dr.
Paul C. Samson, President, and Dr. Francis X. Byron, Secretary, to obtain
representation. Credit should go to Dr. Samson for the rapidity with which
appropriate recognition for the Society was achieved. It is interesting that
several members of the Board of Thoracic Surgery had already been active
592
in the organization and development of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Formal application was made to Dr. 0. T. Clagett, Secretary of the Board
of Thoracic Surgery. T h e Society had requested four positions on the Board,
equal to the representation of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, but at that time the Board accepted only two positions. At the January, 1966, meeting of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons in Denver, the
Council recommended four names and the Board of Thoracic Surgery selected two, Dr. Francis x. Byron and Dr. Johann L. Ehrenhaft, to serve for
a period of six years.
After Dr. Byron’s death on April 27, 1968, Dr. Paul C. Adkins of Washington, D.C., was appointed to replace him. I n 1970 the Board of Thoracic
Surgery was enlarged and accepted two additional representatives, or a total
of four, from T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons. At this time, Dr. Thomas
B. Ferguson of St. Louis and Dr. Ralph D. Alley of Albany, N.Y., were
selected to fill these two additional positions on the Board.
At the formal request of Dr. Paul C. Samson, who was a regent of the
American College of Surgeons, at the October, 1965, meeting of the American College of Surgeons the appointment of a representative from T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons to the Board of Governors was approved. Dr.
Ralph D. Alley was selected from a slate of three names submitted. At the
same meeting of the American College of Surgeons, appointment of a representative from the Society to the American College of Surgeons Advisory
Council for Surgical Specialties was approved, and Dr. Myron W. Wheat,
Jr., was selected from a slate of three names submitted to the College. These
appointments represented tremendous progress for the Society, and the
rapidity with which they were accomplished is indicative of the outstanding influence of the leaders of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
T h e second annual meeting was held in Denver in January, 1966. T h e
same officers and committee members served through this second meeting.
Dr. Paul C. Samson again presided, and in his introductory remarks at the
beginning of the meeting he reviewed the almost unbelievable progress of
the Society to that date. H e challenged the young members of the Societyand this was considered a young men’s organization-to continue to support
the ideals upon which the Society was founded. His prediction of the role
of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons in the future development of the specialty has proved to be highly accurate; he quoted from his editorial published in the first issue of T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery:
We believe that The Society of Thoracic Surgeons has a well-defined place in
the schema of surgical organizations. We believe that the Society is not competitive, but additive. We believe that the Society will attract gifted young
practitioners of our specialty, and benefit from their contributions. We believe
that the scope and opportunities of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery as a
specialty will unquestionably be enhanced because The Society of Thoracic
Surgeons exists.
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ELLISON
FIG. 18. Thomas H . Burford,
M.D., second President of T h e
Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
At the third annual meeting in Kansas City, Mo., in January, 1967,
Dr. Thomas H. Burford (Fig. 18) of St. Louis presided. Like Dr. Samson,
he too had emerged upon the surgical scene as an outstanding leader in
thoracic surgery at the end of World War 11. Under his direction the third
meeting proved to be another outstanding success for the 650 thoracic surgeons who attended.
Dr. Donald L. Paulson (Fig. 19) of Dallas presided at the fourth annual
meeting in New Orleans. For his presidential address he presented his philosophy of treatment for bronchogenic carcinoma, for which he had become
internationally famous.
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons had been progressing satisfactorily
at the time of the sudden death of our Secretary, Dr. Francis X. Byron, on
April 27, 1968. This was a tremendous loss to the Society, since Dr. Byron
had personally conducted the business affairs of the organization with minimal secretarial or other assistance, and his efforts had contributed inestimably to the outstanding success of the organization. Fortunately, Dr. John
N. Briggs of Los Angeles, who had been closely associated with Dr. Byron,
consented to assume the position of Acting Secretary for the remainder of
the year. Although relatively unfamiliar with the details of the secretarial
office, Dr. Briggs did an outstanding job of maintaining continuity in the
affairs of the Society.
The Society was to sponsor the Second National Conference on Prosthetic Valves on May 30 through June 1, 1968, and Dr. Byron had spent
594
F I G . 19. Donald L. Paulson, M.D.,
third President of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
considerable time and effort in coordinating this program. Through his
efforts, financial support for the conference had been obtained from T h e
City of Hope National Medical Center, where Dr. Byron had been Director
of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, and from the National Institutes of
Health. His untimely death one month before the conference cast considerable doubt upon the success of the project. Dr. Lyman A. Brewer, 111,
who had assumed the presidency at the January, 1968, meeting, with the administrative assistance of Dr. Paul L. Wermer, Executive Medical Director
of The City of Hope National Medical Center, had worked with Dr. Byron
in arranging the conference, but at that late hour many details remained to
be attended to. It was a gigantic task, and the outstanding success of the
conference, the first major educational effort of the Society except for the
annual scientific programs, resulted from the perseverance of President
Brewer. In addition, in the months to follow he worked untiringly in editing the papers of the conference, which were published by Charles C
Thomas in 1969 as a book entitled Prosthetic Heart VuEues. This 900-page
book was dedicated to Francis X. Byron and to J. Maxwell Chamberlain,
Vice-president of the Society, whose life had been taken in a tragic automobile accident six days before the conference began.
The fifth annual meeting in San Diego in January, 1969, appeared to
be jinxed almost from the beginning. During the preceding year, the Society
had suffered the loss of its efficient and outstanding secretary, Dr. Byron,
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14, NO. 6,
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595
ELLISON
and its distinguished President-Elect, Dr. Chamberlain. I n addition, Southern California had experienced a record rainfall with flooding of certain
portions of the state, leading to difficulties in travel as well as to a dampening of spirits in the usually sunny city of San Diego. I n spite of these obstacles, the show went on. Dr. Lyman A. Brewer, I11 (Fig. 20) presided in a
most distinguished manner, and to the 701 thoracic surgeons in attendance
he gave a scholarly presentation entitled “Wounds of the Chest in War and
Peace, 1943-1968.”
At the January, 1969, meeting in San Diego, Dr. Donald B. Effler of
Cleveland was elected President and Dr. Ralph D. Alley of Albany, N.Y.,
was elected the new Secretary. Dr. Alley was the obvious choice for this
position since he had been so actively involved in many of the affairs of the
Society.
By this stage in the development of the Society, it was becoming evident that the organization was outgrowing the administrative capacity of
the officers to conduct its affairs effectively. T h e Society had approximately
700 members, and the Secretary, Treasurer, Editor, and chairmen of the
primary committees such as membership, program, and local arrangements
were overburdened with responsibilities to the extent that the affairs of the
Society could not be conducted as efficiently as one would desire. At the
January, 1969, Council meeting in San Diego, a committee composed of
Drs. Alley (Chairman), Briggs, Ellison, and Sloan was appointed to select a
business manager who could provide professional management with perma-
FIG. 20. Lyman A . Brewer, III, M.D.,
fourth President of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
596
F I G . 21. Donald B . EBer, M.D.,
fifth President of T h e Society of
Thoracic Surgeons.
nent headquarters. With the help of Dr. Hiram T. Langston of Chicago, a
member of the Council, the committee selected the firm of Smith, Bucklin
and Associates of Chicago. Mr. Walter G. Purcell, a vice-president of the
firm,was appointed business manager of the Society. While the functions
of the officers of the Society have remained heavy, the establishment of a
permanent office with a business manager has minimized the drudgery of
secretarial work previously performed by the officers. The progress of the
organization in further accomplishing the goals stated in the original constitution also has been advanced by obtaining this professional assistance.
Dr. Donald B. Effler (Fig. 21) of Cleveland presided at the sixth annual
meeting in Atlanta in January, 1970. Notwithstanding the icy weather which
marred the first day, this too proved to be another outstanding and successful meeting. Dr. Effler’s address to the 700 thoracic surgeons in attendance
was entitled “Training of the Compleat Thoracic-Cardiovascular Surgeon.”
In this presentation he pointed out the deficiencies of modern training programs in thoracic surgery and the difficulties of properly training a surgeon
to do cardiovascular surgery in the two-year period allotted. He advocated
curtailment of the prerequisite training in general surgery from four to
three years and lengthening of the training in thoracic and cardiovascular
surgery from two to three years, a program which the American Board of
Thoracic Surgery has since accepted on an experimental basis.
Dr. Will C. Sealy (Fig. 22) of Duke University was president at the
seventh annual meeting in Dallas in January, 1971. In his address entitled
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ELLISON
F I G . 22. Will C . Sealy, M.D.,
sixth President of T h e Society of
Thoracic Surgeons.
“Residents and Residencies,” he traced the development of surgical residencies to nineteenth-century German models which were established in
this country by Dr. William S. Halsted in the early 1900s. He indicated that
residencies in thoracic surgery are governed by regulations dictated by the
specialty board and that the status of board certification is changing from
that of the mark of an elite surgeon to one of a license to practice surgery.
As a means of maintaining a high standard of excellence, he suggested that
more effort be directed toward selection of candidates for training and to
more careful appraisal of training programs.
It was my privilege and honor to serve the Society as Treasurer from
September, 1963, when the original officers were elected at the founders’
meeting in San Francisco, until the sixth annual meeting in Atlanta in January, 1970. At this time I was succeeded by Dr. Jay L. Ankeney of Cleveland
and became President-Elect of the Society. It was a tremendous experience
to work with the original group whose members were so dedicated to the
principle of thoracic surgery as a specialty and to the founding of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The problems of the Treasurer’s office were due
primarily to rapid enlargement of the membership. The founding membership of 576 in July, 1965, had increased to approximately 900 by the
1970 meeting. Within a period of one year there were as many as 50 to 75
changes in address. Fortunately, I had access to the computer services at the
Medical College of Georgia and therefore was able to maintain a reasonably accurate membership list. The hiring of a professional manager in the
598
T H E ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY
FIG., 23. Progressive growth in membership of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
-YEAR-
spring of 1969 relieved the treasurer’s office of the tremendous burden of
maintaining a detailed accounting of the Society’s finances.
T h e growth of the Society in terms of membership has continued (Fig.
23). T h e membership has increased 160% since the first annual meeting,
and there has been an annual increase of approximately 20% for the past
four years; during the past five years, the Society has gained about 100 new
members annually. With an enlarging membership, attendance at meetings
has progressively increased. Attendance has exceeded 700 for the past four
years, with a maximum of 998 at the eighth meeting in San Francisco in
1972 (Table 1).
At early Council meetings there had been considerable discussion relating
to the value of postgraduate courses in conjunction with the annual scientific session. Finally, in 1966 an ad hoc committee was appointed with Dr.
Will C. Sealy of Durham, N.C., as chairman. T h e function of this committee was to arrange a one-day postgraduate course to be given immediately
TABLE 1. ANNUAL MEETINGS OF T H E SOCIETY OF THORACIC
SURGEONS, INCLUDING ATTENDANCE
Year 8c Location
1965, St. Louis
1966, Denver
1967, Kansas City
1968, New Orleans
1969, San Diego
1970, Atlanta
1971, Dallas
1972, San Francisco
President
Samson
Samson
Burford
Paulson
Brewer
Effler
Sealy
Ellison
Attendance
41 1
607
650
765
70 1
700
76 1
998
VOL. 14, NO. 6, DECEMBER, 1972
599
ELLISON
TABLE 2. POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS IN THORACIC SURGERY HELD
IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE
Meeting
1967, Kansas City
Chairman
Subjects
Attendance
Sealy
Cardiac and general thoracic surgery
80
problems
1968, New Orleans
Sealy
Noncyanotic congenital heart disease,
coronary artery disease
21 1
1969, San Diego
Sealy
The esophagus; thoracic trauma
223
1970, Atlanta
Ankeney Bronchogenic carcinoma;
pacemakers
1971, Dallas
Kay
1972, San Francisco Dobell
cardiac
312
Valve replacement; noncardiac pediatric thoracic surgery
Postoperative pulmonary problems;
coronary artery surgery
418
516
prior to the annual meeting. This educational program was to be directed
toward thoracic surgeons in training as well as to those in the early years
following completion of formal training. T h e first program, presented immediately prior to the third annual meeting in January, 1967, in Kansas
City, was so successful that the committee was changed to a standing committee by revision of the bylaws. Since that time, the postgraduate courses
have become increasingly popular, with the attendance growing from approximately 80 the first year to 516 at the sixth postgraduate course in San
Francisco in January, 1972 (Table 2). T h e courses have been attended not
only by residents and those just out of training, but also by those who have
been well established in practice for a number of years. T h e popularity of
these programs would suggest that consideration might be given to further
expansion of this type of program in the future.
I n recognition of outstanding contributions to the advancement of the
Society, the Council established a policy of presenting a Distinguished Service Award (Fig. 24) to certain members. T h e first award was made to Dr.
John D. Steele at the fifth annual meeting in San Diego upon his retirement
as first Editor of T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Also at this meeting, Dr.
Paul L. Wermer, Executive Medical Director of T h e City of Hope National
Medical Center at Duarte, Calif., was presented the award for his contributions to the affairs of the secretarial office.
At the sixth annual meeting in Atlanta, January, 1970, the third Distinguished Service Award was made to Dr. Paul c. Samson of Oakland,
Calif., the first President of the Society, in recognition of his outstanding
efforts and determination to establish the Society on a firm basis during the
two years of his office.
600
FIG. 24. Distinguished Service Award.
I t was my pleasure to present the fourth Distinguished Service Award
to Dr. Lyman A. Brewer, 111, at the eighth annual meeting in San Francisco.
Dr. Brewer has been active in the affairs of the Society from its inception.
He designed the seal, served on many committees, was responsible for the
outstanding success of the valve conference in 1968, served as fourth President of the Society, and currently is chairman of the manpower committee
to evaluate thoracic surgery in the United States.
It seems appropriate to pay tribute to three pioneers in thoracic surgery whose efforts were responsible for the Society’s achieving such early
prominence, but who did not live to enjoy the present-day success of the organization.
John Dutton Steele (Fig. 25), a native of Pennsylvania and graduate of
the University of Pennsylvania, early in his surgical career developed an interest in thoracic surgery and completed his surgical training at the University of Michigan in 1938 under Dr. John Alexander. He established a
brilliant career in thoracic surgery and made numerous contributions to
the field of surgery for pulmonary disease. He was one of those who strongly
felt the need for a thoracic surgical organization for younger thoracic surgeons. In 1963 he was elected founding Editor of the Society’s official publication, T h e Annals of Thoracic Surgery. The early success of The Society
of Thoracic Surgeons unquestionably was enhanced by the editorial skill of
John Steele, and the journal will remain a monument to his efforts on be-
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ELLISON
FIG. 25. John Dutton Steele, M.D., Editor of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery,
1964-1 969.
half of the Society. It was a great loss to the Society when he died on July
27, 1969.
Francis Xavier Byron (Fig. 26), a native of St. Louis, received his medical degree from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. While
under treatment for tuberculosis at Saranac Lake, N.Y., he became interested in thoracic surgery and in 1947 completed his thoracic surgical training at the University of Michigan under Dr. John Alexander. Thereafter
he had an outstanding career in the practice and teaching of thoracic surgery in California. He was one of the members of the John Alexander Society who in the early 1960s so strongly supported the viewpoint that a
separate thoracic surgical organization should be established, and at the
founding meeting of the Society in San Francisco in September, 1963, he
was elected the first Secretary of the new organization. H e coordinated the
activities of the Society from his office at T h e City of Hope National Medical Center, where he was Chief of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery.
T h e administrative aspects of establishing a new society are tremendous, and I am sure none of us will ever fully appreciate the extraordinary
amount of time and effort that were expended by Dr. Byron in those early
days to achieve success with the new organization. His sudden, untimely
death on April 27, 1968, left a cloud of uncertainty aver the future of T h e
Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
J. Maxwell Chamberlain (Fig. 27) received his medical degree from the
University of Colorado School of Medicine, his surgical training at the
Massachusetts General Hospital under Dr. Edward D. Churchill, and his
602
FIG. 26. Francis Xavier Byron, M.D.,
Secretary of T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons, 1963-1968.
thoracic surgical training at the University of Michigan under Dr. John
Alexander. After World War I1 (about 1947) he returned to New York City,
where he distinguished himself during the next twenty years as one of the
world’s leading clinical thoracic surgeons.
In the early 1960s Dr. Chamberlain became increasingly concerned
about the large number of thoracic surgeons who had no specialty organization in which they could actively participate. He cautiously sought the opinions of many thoracic surgeons, and once he became convinced of the
desirability of another thoracic surgery society, he was persistent in his efforts
to achieve this goal. He was not interested in personal recognition for his
efforts and refused to accept an office, except for membership on the original
Council. It is ironic that when he finally accepted the position of PresidentElect in 1968. it was not his fate to serve as President of the Society for which
he had worked so hard. He was elected Historian at the first annual meeting
and probably would have presented the history of the Society as his presidential address at the sixth annual meeting in Atlanta in January, 1970.
His death in an automobile accident on May 24, 1968, was a tragic event.
While The Society of Thoracic Surgeons probably would have come
into existence in the course of time, there is little question that the Society
achieved more rapid success because of the magnitude of leadership provided
by these three outstanding physicians.
Thus, T h e Society of Thoracic Surgeons came into existence, first to
provide a forum for the great majority in this audience today, and second
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ELLISON
FIG. 27. J . Maxwell Chamberlain, M.D.
because of the determination of the influential leadership in the Society.
The Society is accomplishing its goal to enhance the quality and practice of
thoracic and cardiovascular surgery as a surgical specialty. The strength of
thoracic surgery as a surgical specialty is manifested in the progressively
enlarging membership, which will be approximately 1,100 after this meeting.
Since the Society is the spokesman for the majority opinion in the area of
thoracic surgery, it will play a significant role in the further development of
practices and standards relating to this specialty.
It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with the leaders of
this Society, and I have been especially honored to have been able to serve
the Society as President during this past year.
604
Significant Events in the History of The Society of
Thoracic Surgeons
Robert G. Ellison
Ann Thorac Surg 1972;14:577-604
DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4975(10)65270-8
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Dr. Robert G. Ellison`s 1972 Presidential Address

Transcription

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